Clare to Cavendish and return

We had too much to do to enable us to get a whole day of walking, but this short walk fitted the bill perfectly. We took one car and stopped off in Cambridge en route, to enable me to order the shoes for my 'mother of the bride' outfit for Helen and Tom's wedding in September. They won't let me wear my walking boots... From Cambridge we took the A1307 past Linton (crossing where we walked on the Icknield Way Path) and Haverhill, then drove on to Clare. As last week, we parked at the Clare Castle Country Park for the princely sum of £1.50 for all day parking.

The route we followed is described elsewhere [though the link here was dead by 2020 and we worked it out for ourselves]. In one direction you follow the Stour Valley Path (to the north of the river) and in the other you follow paths and bridleways on the south of the river. If I'm honest I think I may have marginally preferred the southern (i.e. non Stour Valley Path) direction, simply because you see more of the river.

We'd had yet more rain in the week, but the rain initially forecast for today had been postponed until tomorrow. We are off on the next leg of the South West Coast Path on Tuesday - I do hope the weather will improve. It was misty before lunch and overcast for most of the day, but it didn't rain and the sun came out occasionally. The colours of the trees and wildflowers are amazing this year, presumably because of the wet spring we've had, and the fields of startlingly yellow oil seed rape are attractive, if smelly and sneeze inducing.

We set off walking about 11.30am and followed the Stour Valley Path out of the country park, across the A1092 and up a rather uninspiring track alongside a playing field. At the top of the track, we took a path which emerged by (fishing?) lakes at Hermitage Farm. We followed a path round field edges, through pretty undulating countryside with good views back to Clare. We passed Houghton Hall (which has been a 'luxury spa' but appears to be for sale) and eventually emerged on a quiet and attractive lane above Cavendish. Another footpath brought us out on the delightful Green, where we stopped for lunch.

The Cavendish village website claims that 'Cavendish is one of the prettiest villages in Suffolk...famous for its picturesque green, thatched cottages and backdrop of St Mary's Church. In all, a quintessential English village scene.' I think they are probably right! After lunch we went into the Church (which is surprisingly light and airy) then walked down the main street. We parted company with the Stour Valley Path at the east end of Cavendish village, and turned right to cross the river at Pentlow Bridge, near the attractive Pentlow Mill.

We followed a grassy track to Bower Hall, with masses of cowslips growing in the verges. The track became tarmackd at Bower Hall, but soon we were walking through woodland, and we visited the river from time to time and had good views across the valley to Cavendish Hall. We emerged onto the road at Hickford Hill, then followed another path through a field of oil seed rape, then across a meadow to The Mill House (with the mill race and remains of the water wheel still in evidence). We were soon back at Clare Castle Country Park.